Difficulties
by Upside-Down Carrot
Summary: When the Doctor visits River for a night out, he learns something he didn't expect. And when things go wrong, his life begins to go in a different direction. Things he never thought he wanted become the only things he want. How far will he go to please his wife and himself?
1. Chapter 1

**Difficulties**

"Mum, when are dad and Aunt Clara going to get here?"

River turned to her daughter sitting on the porch. "Soon I hope, dear."

River sat next to the four year old girl and stroked her curly hair. Her daughter, her miracle.

"Mum? How come I don't have any brothers or sisters?"

River sighed, memories rushed into her head. "It's a long story, dear. I'll tell it to you when you're older."

"Is it because dad didn't want any more kids?"

River was trying very hard to hold back tears. "Of course not! I'm sure dad would love to have more kids."

The girl looked at the ground. "Oh. Mum, next time dad leaves, can we go with him?"

"I think so. But you know your father, he never can stay in the same place for too long."

"Yeah. Has he ever stayed with you for a really long time?"

"Yes, once. Before you were born. We were together for a few years on the TARDIS. It was right after he lost your grandparents, and he hadn't met Clara yet. He was sad, so I stayed with him. And a few years later you were born, and he was with us every day until you turned three!"

"Really? Wow. Now he goes on adventures sometimes. Why can't we go with him?"

River sighed. "Darling, your father's adventures are very dangerous. We can't have you get hurt, or worse, lose you. He leaves us behind for your safety. But don't worry about your dad. He gets himself into trouble, but he can always get out of it."

River's daughter paused for a few seconds. "Mum, are you going to tell dad about the baby?"

River turned her head around so fast she swore she heard a popping sound. "How did you know about that?"

"I heard you talking to yourself about it. I am very smart, you know."

"I know, dear. Don't say anything about it. I'll tell him when the time is right. It's… complicated."

* * *

_-Many Years Earlier-_

The Doctor looked in the mirror and straightened his bow tie. He grinned as he smoothed his hair then ran to the door. He sighed and put on his jacket, then burst through the doors of the TARDIS.

The lights pulsed as the music blared, and the Doctor was attempting to find his wife among the crowd. It was their night out tonight. Once a week, he goes and finds River, and they do something together, because they don't get to see each other as often as they would like to.

Out of the corner of his eye, the Doctor saw her golden curls and immediately turned around.

He walked up behind her and put his hands around her waist.

"Excuse me sir, but I'm married, and also―" She turned around to see the Doctor.

"Hello dear," he said with the biggest smile on his face. River was quite pleased to see her husband.

"Hello, Sweetie!" She gave him a huge hug and then kissed him right on the lips. Their kiss lasted for a while, but when they broke apart, River paused his talking and kissed him again. The Doctor broke away and pulled her towards the TARDIS. He didn't stop until they were inside, then he grabbed her waist and kissed her more.

"Oh, River, I've missed you so much."

River smiled. "I've missed you too. Just curious, how early is this for you?"

The Doctor thought for a second. "Well, we're married I know that much. And I'm past New York."

"Okay… now have we done anything?"

The Doctor was confused. "Done anything?"

"Oh never mind just shut up and kiss me." She grabbed his shirt and they kissed again.

"River, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

River looked into his eyes. "What is it, dear?"

The Doctor held her in his arms. "Can we… well, I mean to say have we―"

River stopped him. "Have we had sex? That depends, have you?"

The Doctor's face turned bright red. "No, not yet, but I think that it's only right because we are marred and―"

River cut him off again. "Doctor, the only important question is do you want to?"

The Doctor nodded. "More than anything."

River grinned. "Well then, I suggest we start with the bow tie."

The Doctor backed away as she tried to take his tie off. "Whoa, hold up. I haven't done this in ages, what am I supposed to do?"

River laughed. "Calm down, just go along. It'll be fine. More than fine, actually."

The Doctor shrugged and River dragged him by the tie and ran down the TARDIS corridors.

She stopped in front of a door and dragged the Doctor inside. As soon as the door shut, the Doctor took her in his hands and began kissing her. He kissed her lips, her neck, her everywhere. And he didn't stop until all of their clothes were on the floor. Which obviously did not make him stop kissing her at all. He actually kissed her more.

* * *

The Doctor held the sleeping River in his arms. He stroked her hair as she stirred. She yawned and turned to face him. He smiled.

"Morning, Sweetie."

The Doctor grinned and kissed her forehead. "That was the best night of my life. Thank you."

River shifted uncomfortably in his arms.

"Doctor, there's something I need to tell you."

"Anything, dear."

River pulled out of his arms and sat up with the sheet wrapped around her. "Now, don't freak out sweetie."

The Doctor sat up quickly. "Why would you say that? Now I'm going to freak out."

River sighed. "Please, just let me talk."

The Doctor nodded. "Okay."

"Doctor, how would you feel about starting a family?"

The Doctor was confused. "A family? Why? Are we in any hurry to start one?"

River turned away from him. "No, no. I was just wondering what you thought about it."

The Doctor ran his fingers through his hair. "Well, I wouldn't be terribly mad. I mean, sure I'd like a baby, but I haven't been a father for a long time. I'm sure I could adjust though."

"Good, because Doctor, there's something I have to tell you."

The Doctor's face froze, and he looked terrified. "W-what is it?" he stuttered.

River took his hand in hers, kissed it, and then placed it on her bare stomach. "Doctor, we're going to have a baby."

The Doctor looked up at River, and she thought he would be mad, or he might freak out. Instead, a smile crept up his face and he hugged River as tight as he could without hurting the baby.

"A baby River! Our own?"

River laughed. "Yes sweetie, I know!" She laid her head against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Wait. How can you know this early? I don't understand."

"No, you see, I was pregnant before last night."

The Doctor nodded his head.

"Oh we've got to tell―" He stopped himself. He had almost forgotten about Amy and Rory, and now they would never even know about their grandchild. The Doctor looked sad for a moment, but then returned his attention to his wife, and his baby.

"Well, what do you think, Sweetie? Can we manage?"

"I think we can manage just fine. Although, you've never struck me as a person who likes children."

River shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I just know that we'll love this one."

The Doctor put his hand on her small stomach, which he only now began to notice was bigger than usual. "How far along are you?"

"10 weeks."

"10 weeks and I haven't noticed?" River seemed to be glad about that. "Have you been in for a scan yet?"

River shook her head. "I didn't want to go without you."

The Doctor kissed River's stomach. "I wouldn't miss this baby for the Universe. It will be the most important child in all of time."

"Which leads me to ask, will our baby be normal?"

The Doctor was confused. "Normal? Normal how? It's mostly Time Lord, right?"

River looked worried. "What if there's something wrong with the genes, or… or it has birth defects?"

The Doctor kissed her on the forehead. "River, I assure you everything is going to be fine. Now, will you get dressed so that I can scan you?"

"You mean we could see the baby?"

The Doctor laughed. "Yes of course we can."

**A/N: I hope you liked the first chapter! I have tons more, so if you like it I'll post more! Please send me reviews! It helps me write. Thanks!  
****-Mels**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello readers! Here is the second chapter! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it.**

River and the Doctor rushed to put some sort of clothes on, then they headed to the medical bay. River lay on a seat in the room, with strange machines all around her.

"This doesn't look at all like the machines I've seen," she said, a bit nervous.

"Thats because these are from the future, dear."

River rolled her eyes as the Doctor lifted up her shirt. They both stared with wide eyes at her stomach.

"Can you tell?" asked River.

"I don't know. Kind of. I can see a difference."

River sat patiently while the Doctor applied the clear gel.

"Oh no, I'm going to be fat."

"You're already kind of fat."

River gasped and slapped the Doctor across his face. "What!?"

The Doctor stumbled and put his hand on the table to hold himself up. "I only meant that you've gained weight from the baby. You were perfect before. I mean you're always perfect… uh how do I fix this?"

River smiled wearily. "How come you didn't notice before?"

The Doctor brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Because. I didn't even look at how big you were. I just looked at your beautiful face, and how nothing could change how pretty you are."

River blushed. "Oh, thank you sweetie. Now, let's get on with it, shall we?"

The Doctor ran the receptor over her stomach, searching for the baby. An image appeared on the screen, and a faint pumping sound came from the speakers. A tear came to River's eye.

"The baby, there it is," she said, putting her finger on the screen.

The Doctor kissed her on the forehead. "Our baby, River. Our own baby."

He placed his hand on her shoulder, and River looked up and smiled. "Listen to the heartbeat. It only has one heart. Is that okay?"

"River, calm down. Everything is fine. It just means the baby will be more human. Its heartbeat is strong."

River seemed more relaxed after that. "Oh good. Can you tell if it's a boy or a girl?"

"Not like this, but I could try another way." The Doctor grinned and pointed his sonic at River.

He smiled as he saw the results. "A girl."

River looked quite pleased. "A daughter. She'll probably take after her feisty grandmother."

The Doctor laughed, but then his smile faded. Amy and Rory would never know they have a grandchild. River comforted the sad man, saying they could try their best to at least tell them their grandchild existed. The Doctor didn't seemed too reassured.

* * *

River sat on the chair in the console room, watching the Doctor run around like the mad man he was. She was in a good mood, and didn't feel like criticizing the Doctor on his piloting today. He glanced at her every couple seconds, as if he were waiting for her to yell at him. She simply sat quietly. Even when the TARDIS flew out of control, she didn't fall. When they landed, the Doctor stood for a second, not saying anything. He pulled River up out of the chair by her hands, and dragged her out the door. She gasped as she saw the tall buildings looming over their heads.

"Doctor! No we can't! You'll rip New York apart, we have to get out of here!"

River began to run back inside the TARDIS, but she stopped when she noticed the Doctor wasn't coming with her. He just stood and stared at the skyline.

"River. Nothing's happening. It's okay."

"Doctor, no it's not. We have to leave. How can nothing happen? We've messed up too many things here."

The Doctor turned to her. "River, for once, nothing is going wrong. Can we just enjoy our time here instead of trying to figure out why we are here in the first place? Don't you want to see your parents?"

River stared off ahead at the apartment building across the street. She sighed, then nodded and held out her hand. The Doctor happily took it and they ran across the street.

The person sitting at the desk looked up. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, we're here to visit a Mr. and Mrs. Williams. They do live here, don't they?"

The man looked at the book on the counter and then back at the Doctor. "Do you mean the Ponds?"

The Doctor smiled at the mention of their name. "Yes. Could you tell me their apartment number?"

"They live in 11D."

The Doctor thanked the man and he and River hopped in the elevator. The Doctor put his arm around River's waist and rested his hand on her stomach.

"Do you think they'll notice?"

The Doctor kissed his wife on the forehead. "Nah I think you're good. You're barely showing."

They stepped out of the elevator and walked up to Amy and Rory's door. The Doctor looked at the sign.

"11D? What a coincidence."

He hesitated to knock. There was a tear that fell down his face. River put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright, Doctor. You can do this. Be brave."

So he knocked on the door.

"One second!" called a familiar voice. The door swung open. The look on Amy's face was one the Doctor couldn't describe. She looked a bit older, but not much. It had been five years. Her mouth hung open. Tears streamed down the Doctor's face. And without saying anything, he hugged her close and buried his face into her shoulder. When they pulled away, Amy was crying too.

"Doctor," she said quietly. He simply hugged her again and kissed her on the forehead.

"Amy. I missed you so much."

"So did I."

Rory came to the door and was quite surprised.

"Doctor! River!"

He was holding a baby in his arms. River went over and hugged her father.

"Hello dad! And who is this?" she said with a smile. The baby couldn't have been more than a month old. It was so tiny.

Rory handed the baby to River. "River, this is your baby brother, Anthony." River smiled as she held the baby in her arm.

"Why hello there, I'm your big sister. You can call me River. And yes dear, that is my real hair."

Amy laughed. The Doctor put his arm around her shoulder, as if he would never let her go.

"Is he yours?" he asked.

Amy sadly shook her head. "Not biologically. I still can't have my own kids. But he feels like he's our own. His mother was a young girl who had gotten herself pregnant. The father ran away, and she had no other family. The only distant family she did have didn't want anything to do with the baby. She was going to give the baby up anyways, and she decided to give him to us. We were there when he was born. We were the first to hold him."

River looked down at the small baby. "Pond blood or not he's still my brother."

Amy hugged her daughter. "How are you? Not getting into any trouble I hope. I'm still your mother, and I can still scold you."

River laughed as she hugged Amy. She realized this was one of the only times she had ever hugged her mother. River didn't want to let go.

They sat on the couches in the living room. The Doctor held Anthony in his arms, thinking that in the near future he would be holding his daughter.

"So, how did you even get here?" asked Amy.

"I figured out that I could take the TARDIS here for a short period of time. Then, we have to wait a while before we can come back."

Amy hugged the Doctor for the millionth time. "I'm just glad you're here now."

"Actually mum, we didn't come here just to say hello."

The Doctor put his arm around River's waist. "Yes, that's right. Do you want to tell them, River?"

She nodded and looked at Amy and Rory. "Amy, Rory, I'm going to have a baby."

Amy gasped. "Really?"

River nodded. Amy hugged her daughter with such force River almost fell off of the couch.

Amy was very happy. You could tell. Rory, on the other hand, looked sort of nervous.

"Wait. So, the Doctor got my daughter pregnant?" he asked.

Amy sighed. "Rory don't make this more complicated than it already is. River is a grown woman. Besides, they're married and she is perfectly capable of having children if she wants to."

Rory shrugged and hugged River.

The Doctor turned to look at the clock. "Oh dear. River, we've been here for almost two hours. We have to get back."

"Oh do you have to leave?" asked Amy. The Doctor sadly nodded his head.

"But don't worry mum, we'll be back. I'll bring the baby!" said River. Amy and Rory hugged the Doctor, then River. They walked them to the door and exchanged farewells. That was the last they saw of the Ponds for quite some time.

**A/N: Well what do you think? It's sounding innocent so far, but you have no idea how intense it's going to get. Stick around to find out. Don't forget to leave me a review! Thanks for reading!**

**-Macie**

**And now since Macie is having me post her stuff, I can leave my own little notes. Ohhh don't you all love me ;) you should check out my stories to. No way am I letting my little sister get ALL the attention.**

**~Melody Starr31**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hello! Are you readers ready for the birth? This chapter is long, which is good I think. More story for you.**

The Doctor had a hand on River's five month belly. She was giggling as the baby kicked her.

The Doctor was laughing too.

"I can feel her, you know," he said.

"Uh, yes sweetie I know, your hand is right where she's kicking," said River.

The Doctor shook his head. "No not like that, I mean I can feel her presence. It's a Time Lord thing, which I suppose you don't have. But I sense her just as I can sense you, or Amy, or anybody else. I always know who is who by what I sense."

River raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "Then how come you've never told me this before?"

The Doctor shrugged. "It just never came up."

River rolled her eyes at her ridiculous husband. She hoped her daughter would be more like herself, and not him. He could just be so silly sometimes.

River was moving around some filing cabinets in her classroom. She had arranged for a guest teacher to teach her class for however long she needed, while everyone thought she was on a dig in the future. The Doctor simply watched as she moved the heavy documents.

"River, I'm not sure if you should be lifting those. I'll do it," said the Doctor, pointing to the crates.

River scoffed. "Oh come on, I'm fine. I don't need your help."

"Are you sure I can't just carry one?"

"Sweetie, I've got it. I'm pregnant, not dying or disabled. I would appreciate if you would not ask me if I need help unless I truly do."

The Doctor nodded. "Yes, dear."

River grinned. "Good. Why don't you go mess around with your ship while I pack the rest of this up."

The Doctor smiled at his beautiful wife, then ran out the door, into the closet, and into the TARDIS. His shoes squeaked on the floor as he spun around. River had her books and her history, but he had his machine.

**(like break here)**

The Doctor and River spent most of their time doing regular things. They traveled around the universe and saved people, although, by the time River was in her third trimester they had to slow down with the running.

They expected their daughter to be born after nine months of gestation. A normal Time Lord baby is born after eleven. The Doctor figured that since River is human, the baby would be born after nine months. And he was right.

"So River, where do you want to go today?" The Doctor stood at the console fiddling with the controls. River was sitting in the chair, feeling too big to stand up.

"I don't know, dear. She'll be here any day and we don't even have a name!"

"Oh right. Well then we should choose one!"

"We've thought of so many names but none of them seem fitting. Which one do you like the best?"

The Doctor rapped his fingers on the console. "I'm not sure. I quite like Willow, or Thalia. As for a middle name, maybe Rose."

"Thalia Rose or Willow Rose? Hmm," said River. She wasn't sure which one she liked best either. The Doctor was staring up at whatever the ceiling was, trying to think, when River cried out. She held her huge stomach with both hands as the Doctor ran to her side.

"Uh, Doctor, I'm pretty sure the baby is coming," said River, calmer than you would expect.

"I-uh. Wait what? She's coming?" River nodded. "Oh no. She's coming. We've got to get you to the sisters."

River winced and bit her lip. "Yes hurry up!"

The Doctor franticly ran around flipping switches. When he stopped, he ran out of the door, forgetting River. A few seconds later he ran back in and helped River out. He checked her into the Sisters of The Infinite Schism. A cat nurse wheeled her away to her room as the Doctor ran behind. He was smiling. He'd get to meet his daughter soon.

He sat next to River and held her hand as she clenched her teeth while the next contraction came.

"It'll only be a few minutes before I want you to start pushing, okay?" said the cat-doctor. River nodded. The Doctor was very nervous. He just wanted to see that his girl was healthy.

"Doctor, thank you. I know you don't like to be in the same place for a long time. Thank you for being here for me," said River in-between contractions.

"River, you're my wife. I would never leave you if you need help. And I especially wouldn't leave you with our baby. I cross my hearts."

River smiled but then her smile faded as another contraction came. By the time the next one came around, the doctor —the actual medical one— had told her to push. The Doctor tried not to squirm as River crushed his hand. Time Lords are known for their strength. She pushed for a while, and worked hard, until the Doctor saw a bright red bundle of skin that let out a cry. River sighed alongside the Doctor. She looked quite relieved. The nurse wrapped the tiny baby in a blanket and nestled her in River's arms. She was small, too small. After River held her and the nurse let the Doctor cut the cord, they took their daughter from River's arms.

"She looks a little small," said the nurse. "We're just going to run some tests on her." They put the baby on a table on the other side of the room and the doctor began to examine her. River watched with wide eyes as they poked and prodded her daughter. She just wanted to hold her in her arms again. The Doctor put a hand on River's shoulder and she looked up at him.

"She's beautiful, River."

River smiled. "Of course she is, she's our daughter isn't she?"

The people looking at their daughter started to sound worried. The Doctor walked over and looked at her. The nurse was right, she was small. He hadn't noticed at first, but his daughter was tiny. Dangerously tiny.

**A/N: Aaaand there we go. But anything could happen now. Thanks for reading you guys! Don't forget to drop me a review!**

**The Mels Sabotage: Macie is gonna kick my ass cause I've had this on my computer for a month and haven't posted it. Shit. lol whatever. She loves me anyways. PLEASE drop her a review. I apologize to her. Well love you all; heck out my stories too!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Um, excuse me, is everything alright?" he asked.

The medical doctor looked up at the Doctor.

"I'm not sure exactly. She is part human, part time lord, correct?"

"Yes."

"Well then the genes must have been mixed too much. She doesn't have any malformations, but she has one heart, which is not enough to support her complex system. Her heart is going to fail."

The Doctor put his arm against the wall. His daughter, who he hadn't even gotten to hold, was dying?

"Isn't there something you can do? Can't you get her another heart? Anything?"

"No, I'm sorry sir. There's no way to put another heart in. I'm so sorry. Would you like to hold her? You might as well."

The Doctor nodded, and the real doctor carefully lifted the small girl and placed her in his arms. The Doctor started to cry, harder than he had in a long time. River noticed, and asked him what was the matter.

"She's not going to make it, River."

River's face went white.

"What? What do you mean she's not going to make it?"

"One heart was not enough. It's going to fail."

"No. No you promised. You said she would be okay," said River. She didn't want to accept what was going to happen.

"River I'm sorry I can't predict everything."

River was crying too, as she stared at the baby in the Doctor's arms. "How long does she have?"

"I don't know." The Doctor turned to the medical doctor. "How long does she have?"

"A few days I'd say. I am so sorry. I really wish there was something I could do."

"A few days? She's only been alive for a few minutes and I love her. How am I going to let her go?" asked the Doctor. His tears hit the pastel blanket. His daughter was no longer crying. She was asleep now.

"We still have to name her," said River quietly.

"What?"

"We still have to name her. She deserves a name. Thalia Rose?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No. I'm not loosing anybody else named Rose. How about Katherine Willow?"

River nodded. "Yes, I like Katherine."

The Doctor handed Katherine to River. River burst into tears again when she held her daughter. The resemblance to River was uncanny. She had bright green eyes and a small tuft of blonde hair, that would never really be curly. Her little face just looked like River's.

And that hurt River, that this human being, that she helped create, who looks just like her was going to die and there was nothing River could do about it. She held her daughter all night, singing, and reading, and just watching her. She thought of all the things Katherine would never do. She would never walk, she would never talk, or go to a distant world with them. She would never have the chance of a life.

So, instead, River told stories to her, stories of what her life could have been. She talked about her first day of school, and how the Doctor would dress her in a bow tie, and she would skip out of the TARDIS holding River's hand, and she wouldn't cry walking into the classroom, and she would make friends and play and have fun.

And that's how she would grow up, until she got a degree in Archeology like her mother, and get married to a nice guy, and have lots of kids. River sighed as she thought of those days that would never come.

The Doctor and River Song spent the few days Katherine had all with her. They wouldn't put her down once, and even the nurses felt bad for them, so they never took Katherine away from them.

Finally, one night three days after she was born, The Doctor was laying in the bed next to River as she hummed to their daughter. Katherine was asleep, and they watched her chest rise up and down. The Doctor was crying.

He had cried a lot those past few days. As they watched her sleep, they noticed her chest rising slowly, and then even more slow. Soon, it stopped all together, and they knew she was gone.

They cried together.

They hugged their little girl, as if they were trying to press her life back into her. But they knew it was over. They had known for a while. Why they ever got attached to her they'd never know, but she was their daughter, they couldn't just not love her.

After a little bit they called the nurse and she came to take the baby away. They didn't want to think of their daughter as a body, but they had to anyways.

She was placed in a small coffin and buried in the cemetery near the hospital. They both wept as they watched the tiny coffin descend into the earth where their daughter would never see the light again.

The Doctor hugged River close to his chest as he closed his eyes. When it was all through, they said their goodbyes and returned with heavy hearts to the TARDIS.

They had anticipated this moment to be joyous, bringing her onto the TARDIS for the first time, but it was depressing. Even the Old Girl herself was sad. She whined and creaked as if she were mourning alongside them.

* * *

**A/N: Sooo, yeah. That's kinda depressing. It gets worse. But hang in there! Thanks for reading!**

**Melody: Dear Macie, I am sorry I have not been able to post this for you. I have honestly been to lazy. Love your big sister.**


	5. Chapter 5

River shut herself in her bedroom for three days.

When she finally came out, she went straight into the Doctor's open arms and wept. She held no emotions back anymore. It was almost as if she was crying for everything that had ever happened to her that was sad. Her parents, Katherine, his tomb, her "death" at the library.

"It's going to be alright, River. We can always try again. We have to. I saw how you were with her. You need a baby. And so do I. Holding her was like holding perfection in my arms. There's nothing like it. River, we are going to have a baby. A healthy, happy, baby. I can promise that."

River looked up and for the first time in a while she smiled at him.

* * *

-Almost a year later-

River nervously tapped her fingers on the TARDIS console. The Doctor was flying them to go see a movie in 1928. He tugged at her arm and dragged her out the door. She was already dressed up and everything.

They sat through the silent movie, laughing and having a good time. Afterwards, the Doctor took River out to dinner.

River twirled her spaghetti on her plate over and over again without ever eating any of it. The Doctor, being as he is, noticed.

"River, is anything bothering you? You seem distracted tonight.

River sighed and dropped her fork. It clanged on the plate.

"Can we talk somewhere else?" asked River. The Doctor nodded and they walked back to the TARDIS. As soon as the door closed River turned to the Doctor.

"Doctor. There's something I need to tell you."

The Doctor grabbed River's hand and held it in his. "You know you can tell me anything, dear."

River looked right into his eyes. "Doctor. I'm pregnant."

The Doctor pulled River into his chest without saying a word. Then he looked down at her and kissed her on the forehead.

"River, this is wonderful. And whatever happens we just need to remember that there's always another chance, okay? And we have to make sure not to get too attached and excited, because I do not want to be let down again like with our Katherine."

River's eyes started to water. "I miss her, Doctor. And it's almost been a year, but I still miss her."

"I know River, I know. I don't think we'll ever not miss her. There will always be a hole in our hearts, but we can try to fill it a little bit with new children."

"But Doctor, what happens if this baby doesn't make it?"

The Doctor put a hand on her stomach. "Then we try again."

River was crying now. "How many times will I have to bury my son or daughter? We can't just keep trying."

The Doctor grabbed both of her hands now. "River, promise me that we will keep trying until we get the right combination of genes. When that happens, we can stop. No more babies after the one. We at least have to try. River, I want a child more than ever now."

"I do too, but how many will it be before we get the right one? Three? Five? More? I don't know if I can do it."

"How about this. If it ever just gets too much to handle, if you ever just want to give up and adopt or just not have any kids at all, tell me. I won't be angry."

River nodded and he hugged her again. She hoped that this baby would be the one. She didn't really want to go through this again.

* * *

"Is it there? Are there two heartbeats?" asked River. She was laying down in a chair at SOTIS (Sisters Of The Infinite Schism). A cat-nurse was giving River an ultrasound. The only thing River cared about was the heartbeat. If the baby had two hearts, it would be fine. If not… well she didn't want to think about what she would do if not. The nurse smiled as she looked at the screen.

"Mrs. Song, you seem to be carrying twins."

River looked at the Doctor. He was smiling at her with wide eyes. He seemed happy.

"Twins? That's… I'm not sure. But tell us, do they have two hearts?"

The nurse looked at the charts on the screen.

"I am counting four heartbeats. So unless you are actually having four children, you should be fine. Just make sure to come in for your scheduled appointments."

River stood up and the Doctor wrapped an arm around River's waist. He kissed her head.

"River, you can stop worrying now. They are fine. Be excited! We're having twins! Now we only have to go through this once to get two kids! It's a win win situation."

River laughed at her ridiculous husband as they entered the TARDIS. They thought after that day they would be happy, they would have their baby, and another. But that was not the case.

**A/N: Dun dun dun! What's gonna happen? Who knows? (Well I do of course)**


End file.
